Katy soldier killed in Iraq

Candace Bush

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, July 22, 2003

U.S. Army Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, son of David and Barbara Rozier of Katy, was killed early last Saturday morning, just three days after his 25th birthday, when his unit was attacked by grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad.

"This is very difficult," his father said. "His wife is really struggling with this. But we're going to make it.

"We have a lot of family around us and we are supported by them and our strong faith in God."

Rozier, who with his wife Jessica have a 9-month-old son Justin, was deployed in February to Kuwait from his base in Fort Riley, Kan.

"We were concerned, not worried because we trust God," the elder Rozier said. "We know that God was Jonathan protector and nothing would happen - he was is good hands. We knew that this is what he loved to do.

"In a letter he wrote home before he went into Iraq, he told Jessica 'I'm called to do this.' He did what he was called to do. We don't regret John's career choice. We regret an Iraqi took his life."

Jonathan was assigned to B Company, 270th Armor Battalion, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Riley and while in Iraq he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor during the battle at Al Hillah.

"Jonathan and his platoon leader rescued wounded people from their unit and received the Bronze Star," Rozier said. "We didn't even know it until the day before he died. Jonathan was just very humble.

"We have always been very proud of him and this just added to the reasons to be proud."

Jonathan decided to make the Army his career while he was part of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University.

"His junior year he made the decision to take the contract and be commissioned," Rozier said. "He liked being around the military. He liked the military life and was very spit and polish. He took it very seriously and wanted to make the military his career."

The younger Rozier meet his wife, Jessica, his junior year. He graduated from A&M with a bachelor of science in Economics and commissioned into the Army a few days later.

Jessica and he married in December 2001 and he went to Armed Officers Basic Course in Fort Knox from January - June 2002. His son Justin was born that October.

"Jonathan was a very devoted husband and father," Rozier said. "He loved his wife dearly. She and Justin were the lights of his life and he was theirs. It was a sight to see what the two of them did for each other."

The elder Rozier said the family is very thankful for the support they have received and knows Jonathan wouldn't like all the attention.

"We've been blown away by the support of people we don't even know," Rozier said. "Jonathan would be embarrassed by all the attention. He didn't crave it. Even on his birthday, he didn't like to go to restaurant and have the waiters sing."

Funeral arrangements are pending for later next week at First Baptist Church of Katy.

Keller-Williams Realty has set up an educational trust fund for Jonathan's son at the Traditions Bank on Grand Parkway.

Jonathan is survived by his wife Jessica, 22; his son Justin; his parents David and Barbara, brothers Joshua, 16, and Benjamin, 18; sister Elizabeth, 23; his paternal grandparent; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

"Jonathan has always been my hero," Rozier said. "This did not make him my hero - but confirmed my choice in who it should be.